Flash-light screen.



PATBNTBD MAY 15, 1906.

F. L. ORUGKER. FLASH LIGHT SCREEN.

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.tom to more effectually retain the FRANK L. OROUKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLASH-LIGHT SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application sea December 14,1905. Serial No. 291,656.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANK L. Onoorrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illino1s have invented new and useful Improvements in Flashlight Screens, of which the followin Iis a specification, reference being had to t e accompanying drawings, forming a plart thereof.

he purpose of this invention is to provide an improved appliance for a flash-light for photo raphic urposes adapted to prevent the di usion of the gases developed from the substance employs to produce the flashlight and retain them in a receptacle in which they may be removed from the room, also, adapted to permit diffusion of the light, pre venting the intense contrasts of light and shadow, also to cause the light to be reflected from one side for intensifying the illumination in the direction of the view to be taken.

It consists in the features of construction set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fi ure 1 is a front eleva tion of an a pliance or the purpose stated embodying t s invention, showing the screenourtain normally pendent from its support. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the standards or support being broken away, showing the curtain gathered together for closing it at the botases. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device wit the curtain removed from the forward art, showing the interior framework and devices for su'pportin the combustibles. Fig. 4 is a view simi ar to Fi 1, showing a modification designed to a apt the device to be inclined for directing the light 11 ward or downward, the curtain being partly cut away to disclose the interior construction. 5 is a section at the line 5 5 on Fig 2.

I have shown this device in the drawin mounted upon a standard A, which may e made in te escoping sections, as illustrated, so as to ada t it to sup ort the screen at an desired heig t withintlie limit'of extensibi .ity of said standard. 7 The upper and innermost section a of the telescopin standard constitutes the main stem of t e device, which comprises an umbrella-skeleton-that is, a frame consisting of bows b b I), connected by braces c c c with a runner or sliding ringd on the stem (1, the runner being moved upward on the stem for expand the frame and downward for collapsing it in a familiar manner re uiring no ex lanation. Upon the bows b b b t are is stretc ed a cover B, of fabric, which is interiorly adapted to reflect the light, being for that purpose lustrous white si k or even pure White linen or cotton fabric, and this cover being also designed to be imervious to gases and substantiall opaque 1s exteriorly treated with or covere by some material adapted to render it thus opaque and impervious, as by being coated with a rubber film after the manner of what are commonl called gossamer waterproof fabrics. t is necessary that the fabric should also. be sufficiently fireproof for safety, and for that purpose the interior element-lustrous white silk or white linen or cotton fabric-is suitably treated by well-known means for rendering it thus fireproof. Neitherthe fireprooiing nor the treatment for rendering it impervious prevents the fabric from bein thoroughly flexible, so that the device wi collapse after the manner of an umbrella without liability to cracking in the process.

In addition to the cover B the device 00m:

prises a curtain D, pendent from the periphery of the said cover, to which, as well as to the bows, said curtain is attached at the upper end. The rear art of this curtain is made of material simi ar to the cover B--that is, interiorly reflective and fireproofed and exteriorly treated for renderingit opaque and impervious to gases. The orward part of the curtain is made of fabric which is translucent to a high degree, but at the same time not to any large degree iermeable by gases, and the same ustrous 81 k or closel -woven cotton or linen fabric employed for t e inner element of the cover B sufliciently meets these conditions. This forward part of the curtain is also fire roofed in the same manner as the coveran rear part of the curtain. Near-the lower end of t e curtain it is provided with a draw-string E for closing it up, as seenin Fig. 2. I

F is a gin for holding the combustibles to produce t e flash-light. It is provided with a. marginal clasp F, by which it me be detachably secured to the stem-a. pon the an thereare also mounted igniter-electrodes f} G, from which the conducting-wires g 9 'may extend around the bottom of the curtam to a controlling-switch, (not shown,) which may be located at any position convenient for the operator;

Ordinarily it may not be found necessary to close the curtain at the bottom b means of the draw-strin g before producing t 1e flash, the gases developed tendmg to rise to the top and the capacity of the device being sufficient to accommodate the amount of gas developed from an ordinary flash, the expansion of the gases operating to drive out the air at the bottom wlthout causing the gases themselves to escape to any inconvenient extent. The draw-strin being drawn to close the curtain immedlately after the explosion, the device maybe removed from the room and emptied of the ases. If, however, the chemicals employed or the flash in any instance are found to develop gas so rapidly or in such quantity that 1t escapes into the room around the curtain when the latter is left open at the bottom, the draw-string may be operated to nearly close it, as seen 1n Fig. 2, still leaving sufficient space for vent, so that the air driven out by the gases may esca e quickly enough to prevent rupture of the curtain, and immediately after the flash the string may be drawn tight to retain the gases while the device is removed for emptying.

To adapt the device to be inclined so as to direct the li ht downward or upward, there may be emp oycd a spreader for the curtain D, consisting of a second set of bows 1), connected to a ring 6 and provided with braces 5 connected to a ring I), each of the rings having a set-screw b so that the entire device may be passed on to the stem a below the pan F and s read to extend the bows to the curtain. The device being then tilted, as shown in Fig. 4, the curtain wlll be held approximately in cylindrical form over the portion of its length between the up er and lower set of bows, the portion below t e lower set dropping, as shown in the drawings. This s reader may be removed from the stem, if d zisired, to facilitate packing it all into limited compass; but when this is not necessary the upper rin b may remain fastened by its set-screw to t e stem and the remainder of the device collapsing normally around the standard when not in use.

To some extent the advanta the device for directin the lig t u ward or downward may be 0 tained wit out the spreader, the operation of the draw-string gathering the curtain together about the stem being suflicient to hold the curtain in position for the purpose of directing the li ht obliquely when it is inclined. The sprea er, however, increases the efiiciency of the device for such use.

If in any instance it should be found that the material employed for the forward part of the curtain in order to be sufficiently translucent is made or is liable to become with use too permeable to gases to effect the desired purpose of retaining them until the device can be removed from the room, there may be provided a second curtain H, suspended e of inclining from the bows I), made of thoroughly impermeable material without any regard to translucency, and this curtain bein thrown up upon the top of the device during the flasl can be droppled immediately afterward and gathered wit a draw-string h, with which it 1s provided. This precautionary addition to the device will not ordinarily be found necessary. The stem a has at the upper end above the top B an e e a, by which the device may be suspen ed when that is more convenient than supporting it on a standard.

An important purpose which is accomplished by the employment of the white fabric through which the light is transmitted for illuminating the object to be photographed is the diffusion of the light which such a screen causes, giving the effect of daylight and avoiding the intense contrast of light and shadow often observed in flash-light pictures.

I claim 1. A flash-1i ht screen comprising an umbrella-top, a exible textile fabric curtain pendent from the periphery of said top, the rear portion of the curtain being adapted to reflect and the forward portion being adapted to transmit the light, both portions being fireproofed and substantially impermeable to ases.

g 2. A flash-light screen com rising an umbrella-top and a flexible texti e fabric screen pendent from the periphery of such top, the top and the rear portion of the curtain being opaque and interiorly adapted to reflect the light, and the forward portion of the curtain being adapted to transmit the light.

3. A flash-1i ht screen com rising a collapsible umbre la-top of flexib e textile fabric, a flexible textile fabric curtain pendent from the entire periphery of the top, the rear portion of the curtain being 0 aque and interiorly adapted to reflect the light, and the forward portion being adapted to transmit the light; an interior stem for carryin the device; means mounted on the stem forfiolding the combustibles to produce the flash, the curtain having a draw string at its lower edge below such pan for closing it up about the stem.

4. A flash-light screen comprising a top provided with a collapsible frame adapted when extended to support a cover and inclosing curtain of flexible material, such frame consisting of bows and braces and a central stem for the same; a pan mounted on the stem for holding combustibles; a spreader mounted on the stem below the pan consisting of a second set of bows and braces and their respective runners, provided, each, with means for clamping them to the stem.

5. A flash-light screen comprising a top having a'collapsible frame and a cover of flex1- ble material; a flexible textile fabric curtain pendent from the peripher of the top upon all sides, the rear portion of the curtain being 7 reflective and the forward portion translucent, and both portions being fireproof and substantially im ermeable to gases.

6. A flash-lig t screen comprising a top having a colla sible frame and a cover for the same of flexib e material; a curtain made of flexible textile fabric pendent from the entire periphery of the top; an interior stem supporting the top frame, and means mounted on the same for holding the combustibles to produce the flash, said pendent curtain being long enough to be gathered together about the stem below the pan, and e draw-string for so gathering it.

7 A flash-light screen comprising a collapsible top frame consisting of bows and braces and a central stem for the same; a pan mounted on the stem for holding comustibles; a spreader mounted on the stem below the pan consisting of a second set of bows and braces and their respective runners, provided, each, with means for clamping them to the same, in combination with a. cover for the top of flexible textile fabric, and a curtain pendent from the periphery of the top on all sides inclosing the pan and spreader, such curtain being translucent at the forward side and opaque and interiorly reflective at the rear part and throu hout fireproofed and substantially impermea is to gases.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, Illinois, this 12th day of December, A. D. 1905.

FRANK L. CROOKER.

In presence of- CHAS. S. BURTON, M. GERTRUDE ADY. 

